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Allen Joines for Mayor 2013

Why I Want To Continue To Be Your Mayor

First, thank you for visiting the Allen Joines For Mayor website.

When I announced that I would seek another term as your mayor, I chose the steps of your City Hall to do so. Why? Because, it is the place where the people’s business – your business – takes place. It’s the one place where everyone in our city has a voice. And it’s a place where those we elect must uphold the promise of an equal voice for all, above all else.

To me, these are the cornerstones of good government. It’s our most basic promise to the people.

I Am Proud Of My Service As Your Mayor

When asked what I am most proud of during my time as Mayor, it’s that we’ve kept this promise. Regardless of one’s age, gender, race, national origin, religion, political persuasion or where they may live in our great city, I know that my office and the people who work in offices at City Hall are equally accessible to all.

I am also proud of the city councils that I’ve led over the last 12 years and how they have worked together for the benefit of all. Unlike many legislative bodies, we have not slipped into the quagmire of partisan politics.

Yes, we have differing views and sometimes different ways to approach the challenges that confront us, but I also know that those with whom I have been fortunate to serve, first and foremost, are doing what they believe to be in the best interest of our city. We continue to find ways to work together to get the job done for all our residents.

Getting The Job Done Means Jobs

So what does getting the job done mean in the context of the last four years.

Well, to begin with, it means that we’ve continued to add jobs to our city’s economy even during the most severe economic depression in nearly three generations. Our city and county has suffered more than our share of layoffs and job eliminations specifically in the manufacturing and construction segments of our economy. Over the last 12 years our we have seen nearly 15,000 of our traditional manufacturing jobs disappear or be moved overseas, but at the same time, we have replaced them with approximately 17,000 jobs of the future in health care, education and corporate management.

Getting the job done means that we continue to attract companies like Caterpillar, NS Aviation, Herbalife and have continued investment in the Piedmont Triad Research Park because it is leading the charge in transforming our economy.

It means we are keeping good jobs here and supporting new jobs at great companies like Pepsi, Inmar, Triad Propulsion and our two world class medical centers.

It Means Supporting Both Large & Small Business

It means supporting small businesses, the backbone of our local economy, though the city’s small business loan program and efforts to revitalize neglected urban commercial areas.

It means using the $2.8 million we recovered from Dell to revitalize historic areas of commerce in our city including Liberty Street; Waughtown Street; Cherry/Polo; King Plaza and Sprague Street to name a few.

It means making the most of the assets we have like developing Smith Reynolds Airport to become an economic generator for East Winston.

It Means Safe Neighborhoods & Affordable Housing

It’s working to solve difficult neighborhood problems, supporting the availability of affordable housing and to keeping our residents safe through effective law enforcement and community policing.

It Means Transportation Must Be A Priority

It’s improving transportation by getting the Beltway back on track, securing more than $400 million in road improvements for the city that will occur in the next four years and speeding up work on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard a vital corridor of growth in our city.

It’s Means Excellent Education, A Healthy Environment & A Good Quality Of Life

It’s our partnerships with area colleges and universities to advance technology, job training programs and research.
And it’s also greenways, rails to trails, childhood obesity prevention programs, efforts to end chronic homelessness, lowering our carbon emissions, expanding our recycling programs, and so many other initiatives that we’ve started and need to continue to make life better here for every one of our residents.

It’s Simple, I Love This City

People ask me, why the heck do I want to be mayor? (Well they don’t actually use the word heck) But the answer is simple, I love it and I love this city. From my first job as deputy assistant city manager more than 40 years ago, to having the wonderful privilege of being mayor for the last 12, I’ve spent my life working for the residents of Winston-Salem and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

So what do I see for the next four years?

We’ve made significant progress in rebuilding our economy, but it remains fragile and we can’t let up. We need to continue the initiatives I’ve previously mentioned. We need to make sure that Winston-Salem is viewed as a city of innovation, because I believe that successful cities of the future will be those that have embraced a culture of innovation and rapid change.

My priorities will continue to be creating jobs for our citizens, but also working to ensure that everyone who wants a job has a pathway to get one, if they are willing to work for it.

We must continue addressing the unacceptable level of poverty and hunger in our community by making available more targeted job training and employment assistance as well as supporting programs to allow more individual the opportunity to build wealth through homeownership.

I’ll use every resource I have and every relationship I have established to make sure that key road and other transportation projects in our city are built on time and that our public transportation system remains viable.

Finally, I will work cooperatively with our many neighborhood associations to address blighted areas and to ensure that crime is dealt with quickly and effectively.

Everyone Must Have An Opportunity For A Good Quality Of Life

What I know is that the health and vitality of Winston-Salem will not be measured by the quality of life in just a few neighborhoods, but by every neighborhood in every corner of our city. We all need a safe place to live, the opportunity for good employment and an environment that nurtures good health, not diminishes it.

This will take a coordinated effort by all segments of our community. It will take the leadership of someone who is experienced not only in all of these areas, but who has a track record of bringing people together. At this time, at this place, at this point in our history, being mayor of Winston-Salem is not a job for amateurs or the inexperienced. I am confident that I am neither.

I Want To Share A Story

Recently, my mother was in the hospital here in Winston Salem when I was approached by a young woman who on was working there. She said, “Mayor I know you don’t remember me, but you spoke to my class a few years ago.”

“You talked about the future of our city and how the jobs in that future would be knowledge based. You inspired me to get a good education and additional training so that I could get one of those jobs. That’s why I have the job I have today, here at this hospital. Thank you”

And that my friends, is why I want to continue to be your Mayor.

I Need Your Help

Thanks again for visiting our website. Today, I’m asking for your help in our campaign. I need your support. I need your energy and I need your continued friendship. There is something for everyone to do. Please click here to volunteer.